Council Leader Councillor Richard Cooper said: In the last four years many new councillors have been elected to the local authority. It is timely therefore to consider the future leaders of the Council and mix that new talent with the experience of longer-serving members to establish the best combination to serve local people and the district’s communities.

In particular, I want to ensure that everything the Council does is rooted in making our area even better still. Keeping Council Tax increases low is important, but it is only one element of improving the quality of life locally. We need to ensure that corners aren’t cut as we work with local people to solve problems imaginatively, unconstrained by any party political consideration. That is what I am asking my new Cabinet to do.